Two drug smugglers fined and sentenced to ten years

The Criminal Court has sentenced two drug smugglers to ten years in jail with a penalty of MVR 50,000.

The court read its verdict for Safa Ahmed of Gaafu Dhaal atoll Rathafandhoo island and Abdulla Shuaib of capital Male last Sunday. They are to pay their penalty within a period of month.

The duo were arrested upon the discovery of drugs in their luggage after they arrived at the Maldives’ main airport from Bangalore, India in February 2015. According to the court verdict, half a kilogram of drugs were found in each of their baggage.

While smuggling of illegal drugs into the Maldives carries a lifetime prison sentence and heavy fines between MVR 100,000 and MVR 1 million, the duo’s sentences were lightened as they had smuggled medicinal drugs that could be abused without prescription. Such an offence carries a maximum jail sentence of ten years.